The film star paid tribute to Sapphire McCarthy, who died suddenly aged 39
Sean Bean has paid tribute to a “passionate” “resistance fighter” who fought against plans to build on the S13 green belt.
Sapphire McCarthy, known to friends as Saph, led the S13 Greenbelt Campaign from its launch in April, after it was revealed Sheffield Council had put forward plans to build 1,638 homes on green belt land in the S13 area of Sheffield. The 39-year-old from Handsworth organised a meeting, in conjuction with supporter Clive Betts MP, in June, in which council leader Tom Hunt, two local ward councillors, and more than 200 residents discussed the issue.
Sadly, after returning home from the meeting, Sapphire, a mum-of-two, died suddenly. The group has been renamed to ‘Save S13 Greenbelt – The Sapphire McCarthy Campaign’, in her honour.
Sean Bean, who is also from Handsworth, joined forces with the group and spoke with Sapphire about the plans. Now, the ‘Lord of the Rings’ star has paid tribute to Sapphire.
Sapphire McCarthy
He said: “I spoke to Sapphire some months ago and we discussed everything and I just remember her being so passionate and becoming very quickly a kind of ‘resistance fighter’ because of the necessity of someone to be one.
“This city of Sheffield was built on people standing up to things, resistance and not being afraid to speak their mind and Saph was such a person.
“It is incredibly sad and it just spurs us on even more to resist this plan to build on S13 and it’s an inspiration to her and to her memory and I think the passing of Sapphire has put fire in our bellies really and will give us more reason to fight and resist this plan to build.”
If the plans are approved, there would be 868 homes built off Bramley Lane, with another 870 built on farmland off Finchwell Lane. These areas are commonly used by locals and function as havens for plants and wildlife.
Images of Sean Bean’s character from ‘Game of Thrones’ have been used on campaign posters, as the actor accuses the council of being unfair to those in the S13 area, who would lose 90% of their green spaces. He said many of those behind the plans live in more affluent areas of Sheffield, which would not be touched by the scheme.
Sean Bean along with campaigners
He added: “They thought the objections and protests against it wouldn’t be as vociferous as they would be in more affluent other areas of the city like Dore and Totley. I suppose a lot of these people – perhaps councillors and developers – live there and they wouldn’t put up with it on their doorstep – they just want to put it ours and we are not putting up with it and we are going to fight back. We are not pushovers up Handsworth and surrounding areas.
“We know how important it is for people’s physical mental health – it is safer for children walking to school ..it’s the hub and the centre of Handsworth and to take it away would be wicked.
“It’s been termed as ‘wasteland’, kind of quite sneakily really, in order for it to appear they are building on land which is never used and never appreciated but it has its history and tradition – it is pure greenbelt.
“It is interesting to find out that life expectancy is such a vast difference between Handsworth and the other side of the city – and it’s only eight miles away but it is a massive difference – so the last thing we want is someone building on it. In terms of logistics and flooding risks and various other obstacles it wouldn’t be easy to build on anyway.
“People have to have places to live but there are others which are wasteland/brownfield and that’s fine – no-one is objecting to that – but it means so much to us this place that we can’t just let it go like that.”
The S13 Green Belt
Sean Bean said the area, and the positive impact it had on him when he was growing up there, plays an important role in the health and well-being of everyone in S13. Campaigners have also argued the additional housing would overwhelm local infrastructure.
They also believe it would place more pressure on health services and schools, especially with the current Waverley development in Rotherham, less than a mile away. A meeting of the Government Planning Inspectors will begin on Monday, as they work to determine whether the plans are fair and robust.
Claire Pennington, one of the campaigners who met with Sean Bean, said: “We are honoured that Sean paid such an emotive and heartfelt tribute to Sapphire who understood from the off that this plan was not just unfair to current residents—it threatened the very fabric of Sheffield families who want to continue living where they grew up, yet lack any assurances in the Local Plan to make that possible.
“We pledge to carry forward the mission she championed—to safeguard S13 and Sheffield more broadly by advocating for sensible, sustainable, and community-centered planning and really hope the independent Government inspectors listen to our very real concerns.”
The group has collected 4,000 signatures against the scheme, and is currently working to raise money to pay for legal costs. You can donate here, and you can find out more about the group here.
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